This time it's for real

If you've been reading my blog all along, you may recall my attempt at making knock off raw mallomars quite some time ago.

Now, I would never try to profit off someone else's genius. In fact, with the exception of some samples I offered up to eager taste-testers at work, I kept most of these bad boys to myself. My true motivation was to fulfill my craving for something I thought I may never actually have.

Lucky for me, I was wrong. Thanks to my good buddy Rawbin, I now can finally say I've tasted a real Pure Food and Wine mallomar, and in my own kitchen.

So, how did I accomplish that one? I live many, many miles away from the home of this blissful treat (yes, it is bliss), and lately, I have not felt like traveling that far in my condition.

The answer lies in the hands of a friend. Rawbin carefully transported this gem all the way from New York to Maryland, where she handed it over to yours truly. She even snapped a quick shot of the amazed look on my face as I peaked into the container (that's her photo, so don't expect to see it here on this site). All I could say was, "how did you do that?"

That will probably remain a mystery, but I'm grateful anyway. Thanks Rawbin! You're the best :-)

Warm weather and snow?

I know the two don't actually go together, but that's what we've got in our backyard (and in our front yard, too). You see, we got about a foot of snow last Sunday into Monday, and despite the warming trend, there is still evidence all around me (well, not as much as in these pictures).

Now, I'm not going to complain; it's not everyday you get to see a blanket of snow when the temp is in the mid-60s. Today, it might even hit 70, so I bet that will melt the rest.

Jacob is going to miss the white stuff. He hopes it is not the last of the season. He spent every afternoon this week sledding in our yard (once he finished his homework, of course), as well as on the more impressive hill at my parents' house.

It seems like almost all of my family members participated in the fun. Matthew and Paw Paw took turns darting down the hill, and even my mom went down when she thought no one was looking (I wish I caught that on tape).

As much as I enjoyed watching everyone, I longed to experience it for myself. Unfortunately, due to my dumpling scare last week (I had some bleeding after carrying in some very heavy groceries. Has anyone else noticed how some grocery stores will stuff as much as possible into your reusable bags, just to avoid giving you too many nickels back for your efforts?), I was forbidden to take part in that ride. It's a bummer, I know, but I totally understand.

I'm still getting my exercise inside, although I've been making some modifications to my workouts. I really like Jillian Michael's new "No More Trouble Zones" and "Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism," as well as her "30 Day Shred" (I've had that one in my 6-day rotation for a long time).

This morning, I lightened things up a bit with "Skinny B*tch Boot Camp." It was easier than my usual routines, but a welcome change. Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin are really entertaining, which is to be expected after reading their books.

By the way, has anyone checked out their "Bun in the Oven" book? I've been curious about it. If so, let me know what you think.

In the meantime, I'll probably enjoy some hot chocolate before the snow is all gone. Jacob and I always like sipping it from our tiny espresso cups. I used to concoct mine out of cocoa powder, agave, vanilla, sea salt and some warm water, but now I've had to substitute the agave with other sweeteners, due to its questionable safeness during pregnancy. Does anyone know if it is okay for me to consume it right now?

Be Kreativ :-)

Yup, that's creative, but spelled with a "k" and without an "e." I guess it's meant to differentiate itself from the other Creative Blogger awards being passed around out there.

To my surprise, although I haven't been the most creative blogger lately, my blogging buddy Charissa still bestowed this Kreativ Blogger award on yours truly. Thanks so much for recognizing my past efforts. Maybe it will inspire me to do more in the future.

Unfortunately, I haven't felt up to writing an eloquent acceptance speech. This week, I had a scare involving Dumpling, who has consumed my thoughts lately. Luckily, an emergency sonogram eased my fears, as my little mover and shaker showed me what he or she does best.

Now, back to fulfilling my responsibilities as a Kreativ Blogger, I must first provide you with a list of seven things I love. If you've been following my blog all along, you probably already know a few of them. So, here they are in no particular order:

1. I love spending time with my family. I'm so lucky to have them so close.

2. I love expressing my creativity, hence the award, I guess.

3. I love blasting old-school music and dancing/singing to it around my house, especially when no one is looking.

4. I love making up songs and singing them to my son. It's even better to hear him make up his own lyrics.

5. I love to exercise, but the best part is the feeling I get when I'm done.

6. I love to smile, and I love to laugh. I also love doing things that make me smile and laugh.

7. I love living, and I thank God for giving me this wonderful life.

As for the second part, I'm also supposed to nominate seven other bloggers for the award. Due to certain circumstances, I have decided to put my own spin on this task. Instead on naming a select handful of individuals, I'd like to pass this honor on to each and everyone of my blogger friends who use this medium as a way to share their "kreativity" with the rest of the Blogosphere. Keep up the good work, and feel free to share some things you love in your next post :-)

The secret

Okay, so maybe it's not really a secret anymore. But, for the small handful of you who may have not figured it out yet, I'm going to spell it out for you now. I'm expecting! I'm pregnant! Yes, there is a baby on the way!

No wonder my diet has changed drastically and I can't seem to get over this darn stomach thing. I'm starting to show now, so there's no reason to beat around the bush about it anymore.

Quite some time ago I was lucky enough to get my first glimpse of the little one causing such a ruckus inside me (I needed an early sonogram to determine how far along I was at the time). He or she was practically microscopic, looking nothing like a baby, but more like a Chinese dumpling or potsticker (I was only 6 weeks, 5 days). Therefore, I started referring to my tiny swimmer as none other than "Dumpling" (I'm big on the food related names).

Now don't worry about my unborn child getting teased on the playground later in life; it's just what I'll be referring to the little one while he or she is still nestled within me. For instance, Jacob was known as "Jelly Bean" or simply "Baby Bean," before his birth, while my sister called her boys "Bubby" and "Peanut" prior to their arrivals (my aunt got Colin the cutest little onesie with a peanut on the front as a shower gift).

From what I've read, my Dumpling is now about the size of an apple, so my mother-in-law thought it was funny to refer to him or her as "Apple Dumpling." So, there we go with the food again.

I got another quick look at my tumbling Dumpling at my last doctor's appointment (that child is already on the move). I have another one scheduled this week, so I can't wait to find out when I can get a better view. I'll let you know when the time comes. In the meantime, have fun guessing whether or not it is a girl or a boy.

Tonight is our usual Oscar celebration at my parents' house. You may remember me telling you about our mini red carpet, fun menu, award predictions, and of course, the attire. Unfortunately, I don't think I should risk stretching out the tummy on one of our lovely gowns, so instead, I think I'll wear this comfy top my boss brought back from me from her trip to Thailand (she goes back to visit her family every year).

The bright color and light-weight fabric reminded me of some of the clothes Good Morning America highlighted recently to get the "Slumdog Millionaire" look (they also gave tips on dressing in fashions similar to those in "Revolutionary Road" and "Changeling"). Too bad the top isn't yellow, like the memorable hue from the movie.

"Slumdog" is definitely my pick for best picture. I've been a big fan of it, even before it won the Golden Globe.

This year, Matthew and I decided to make more informed choices as to who we think should win. Usually, we are at a disadvantage, only seeing one, if any at all, of the nominees.

Going into this vote, I've managed to see "Slumdog Millionaire," "The Wrestler," "The Reader," "Vicky Christina Barcelona," "Rachel Getting Married," "Happy Go Lucky," "Tropic Thunder," "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man." Oh yeah, and don't forget "Wall-E," "Bolt" and "Kung Fu Panda." My son makes sure I catch the animated films, too.

Speaking of animated films, my husband and I took Jacob to see "Coraline" last night. The 3-D looks amazing, much better than the old-school flicks we've watched at home on our T.V. (check out Jacob who is sporting a pair of the updated 3-D shades) I bet it will be a strong contender next award season. We'll have to wait and see.

Make it last

You know you've heard the phrase: "Take a picture; it will last longer." So, that's what I decided to do with these Valentine flowers from my hubby.

I couldn't think of a better way to preserve these buds than with a photo shoot conveniently displayed on my blog. I can always log on to jog my memory.

Now, I also might press a few when the time is right. They keep forever that way and are great for craft projects (something I always enjoyed doing with my grandmother. She has quite the collection of phone books stuffed with perfectly dried blooms).

I just adore the peachy tone my husband selected for me. He knows me so well. Forget the traditional; I'd much rather have these blushing beauties. I don't need to receive a bouquet of red to know my man really loves me :-)

Hope you're enjoying your Valentine's Day. I sure am. And, just for the fun of it, take some time to reminisce with last year's menu. I'm thinking about doing something similar tonight.

Circle of love

If you can recall how much I adored making raw recipes with bananas (n'ice cream, cupcakes, smoothies, pudding and more), you can imagine how heart broken I was the first day even a glimpse of my former fave caused me to gag. How was I going to make it through the upcoming months without my beloved fruit?

Well, I'm happy to report that I can now consume bananas again, thanks to some encouragement from my son. He thought they'd go great in my bowl of berries, although I think he had another agenda.

You see, he really wanted me to have less room in my bowl for the strawberries he had hoped to save for himself (I know they're not in season, but they are his favorite food at the moment).

Actually, his idea proved to be a good one. The bananas tasted okay, and I continued to eat a few more slices over the past couple days.

I seem to prefer them mixed into things, so it was no surprise when a recipe on Food Network caught my attention yesterday. Jacob and I have been glued to the shows with a chocolate theme, agreeing that the Choc-Nanner-Nuts Custards on Cooking for Real would be worth a taste test (with a few modifications, of course).

Now, I had no interest in the vanilla wafer crust, but thought an almond crumble might be nice as a base. As for the filling, I was right with the host as she added the next few ingredients.

This chunky monkey concoction (she said she used to refer to just about any recipe involving bananas with this name) started out with a combination of chopped bananas, chocolate chips and nuts. She added this mixture to the mini tart shells, leaving me hopeful that this would act as the custard.

I should've known that she was still planning to make an actual custard to bind these ingredients together, but I was content with what she already had in the tart shell. It was the perfect snack for me.

I didn't have a cute little heart-shaped, tart-sized ramekin like hers. Instead, I opted for this shallow round one.

You can quickly whip one up, too. But if you are fully raw, I'd advise using some cacao nibs, a broken up raw chocolate bar or homemade raw chocolate chips (make your own raw chocolate, pipe it into mini kisses and allow to set). I hate to admit that I sprinkled some organic dairy-free, gluten-free chips in mine. I apologize for the not-fully-raw visual.

Yum, yum, gimme some :-)

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm happy to report that I'm craving grapefruit and lots of it. The best part is that I don't have a desire to cook it before I eat it. There's hope for me yet.

Unfortunately, I don't have a taste for this blast from the past. You may recall my Citrus Kicked White Chocolate with Ginger Mousse from last year. I couldn't get enough of the stuff at the time. If you didn't take this one for a test drive the first go round, give it a try now.

By the way, speaking of flashbacks, I was reminded of another post last night, as "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" was on cable. The coincidence was similar to when "Splash" came on T.V. right after I typed this memorable post.

The world works in mysterious ways, but I think I like it :-)